Lawmakers passed a domestic violence bill in the final hours of the legislative session early today that contains a provision that aims to protect victims of domestic violence, but will actually provide cover for batterers, keeping their names out of public police logs, media and First Amendment advocates said.

On the last day of the formal session, legislators approved a domestic violence package that makes a number of changes seeking to strengthen the state's domestic violence laws. Provisions included the classification of strangulation as a felony, the creation of a new charge for a first domestic assault and battery offense and new regulations that would allow victims of domestic violence to take leave from work for court dates, medical visits and other obligations.

Another provision in the bill, however, raised flags with the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association and media attorneys. The organization issued an alert Thursday morning regarding a provision in the bill that exempts certain information regarding domestic violence calls from public police logs.

Under the provision, which aims to maintain confidentiality for the victims of domestic violence, all information about allegations about domestic violence, as well as reports of alleged rapes and sexual assaults, would be withheld from public reports. The legislation would also prohibit police departments from including in public logs the names or personal information of anyone arrested on domestic violence charges.

Robert Ambrogi, executive director of the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association, said the bill will shield perpetrators of domestic violence from public exposure.

"What if it's a teacher, what if it's a police officer, what if it's an elected official, someone who is in a position of trust?" Ambrogi said Thursday. "The public has a right to know about that and they wouldn't under this law."

First Amendment lawyer Jeffrey Pyle, a partner at Prince Lobel Tye LLC, said he understands the impetus behind the provision – to make domestic violence victims feel more comfortable in reporting abuse – but called the measure a "misguided effort to try to serve that very important goal."

Pyle said the provision does not even necessarily preclude more serious crimes like attempted murder or murder from being left out of a police log if they fit the parameters of domestic abuse. He also noted the legislation impairs the public's ability to evaluate a police department's response to domestic violence calls.

Toni Troop, director of communications for Jane Doe Inc., a statewide coalition of advocacy organizations, said the organization did not take a position on the provision, but has heard from its member organizations about the anguish of victims seeing reports of their abuse published in a newspaper or having their children's friends talking about it at school.

"You can just imagine the repercussions of this," she said. The knowledge that might happen was in some cases a barrier to victims getting help, she said.

Page 2 of 2 - State Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, said on Thursday that he does not support the provision.

"I think that should be public record, just like any other arrest," Eldridge said. He said he does support the bill overall and will be casting his vote in favor of it.

State Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, said that she understood both sides of the argument surrounding the provision, but said that having abuse arrests become public can inadvertently identify the victim of the abuse.

"In domestic violence in particular, it's usually within the family," she said, "so if the perpetrator's name is put in, everybody, particularly in smaller towns, would know who the victim is as well."

State Rep. Danielle Gregoire, D-Marlborough, said Thursday she had not heard about the provision, but said it "certainly sounds concerning." Gregoire said that she doesn't support limiting the release of information, but said care should be taken in how it is disseminated.

State law already bars police from releasing the names of alleged sexual assault victims and juveniles arrested for crimes unless they are charged as adults.